The present invention relates to welding jigs, and in particular, to a welding jig for holding a pipe fitting in a predetermined spacial relation to a pipe to facilitate setup and also welding of the pipe fitting to the pipe by a single operator.
The construction industry is extremely competitive, and it is vital that a minimum of manpower be used while still assuring that quality is maintained. One area where a helper has typically been required is when welding large pipe sections together to form a custom pipe arrangement. These custom pipe arrangements are usually welded on-site to minimize the need for detailed blueprints/dimensions and also since the on-site welding eliminates shipping problems. The helper is used along with various jerry-built holders to hold the pipe fitting square while it is initially tacked in place and then fully welded to a pipe section with a leakproof weld seam. This is more difficult than it initially appears since the pipe fitting can be heavy, and also since the pipe fitting must be held slightly away from the end of the pipe section so that the weld will penetrate to the desired depth. Not only is it difficult to see whether the pipe fitting is uniformly spaced from the pipe end, but on-site conditions such as poor lighting, awkward positions, and the like complicate the welding process.
Several jigs have been developed to assist in aligning and holding a pipe fitting relative to a pipe section. However, many of these are more complicated and expensive than is desired. Further, known welding jigs are often cumbersome to use, and are not as durable and long lasting as is desired.
Thus, a welding jig solving the aforementioned problems is desired